


I've Got You On Mind

by awkwardblogger



Series: Home Is Where The Heart Is [1]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Adopted Sibling Relationship, Adoption, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fix-It of Sorts, Fluffy Ending, Grief/Mourning, I just want them to be happy, I'm Bad At Tagging, Jonathan Byers is a good brother, Nightmares, Polyamory, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Spoilers, Young Love, teenage angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-27
Updated: 2016-10-30
Packaged: 2018-08-20 14:15:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8252113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awkwardblogger/pseuds/awkwardblogger
Summary: It's been four months since Eleven disappeared and some people have yet to move on. Then, Eleven makes her triumphant return.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've recently become obsessed with Stranger Things and I have too much time on my hands and had writers block from another story.

It had been four months since Will Byers disappeared and then was brought back thanks to a mysterious little girl named Eleven and Hawkins had seemed to move on, expect for the residents who’d seen what was really out there. Those who had seen the Demogorgon, had met and cared for Eleven, were plagued with nightmares and sadness. The attack of the Demogorgon and the disappearance of Will Byers had brought friendship, dismay, destruction and hope; and only so much of it was left in its wake.

Four months after Will was returned and Eleven disappeared and Nancy Wheeler could no longer sleep alone. When she tried to, she dreamt of Barb, alone in the upside down, begging for help and dying alone and afraid. She’d wake up screaming and in tears, because it was her fault Barb was at that party, it was her fault Barb cut herself, it was her fault Barb was taken, it was her fault that Barb was dead; and there was nothing that could change that. The nights that she didn’t have nightmares about Barb, they were about Mike and the strange little girl that had inhabited her house for a whole week without anyone noticing. She dreamed Mike was hurt and he was in the upside down with his friend, Eleven. But in the arms of her boyfriends, Nancy could sleep peacefully throughout the night.

After Steve saved Jonathan from the Demogorgon and Tommy and Carol showed Steve their true colors, Jonathan became a part of their group and it was the three of them. After two months, they realized there was a connection and they all loved each other. Surprisingly, it was Steve who pointed it out, that they both loved Jonathan and Jonathan loved them too. It took time, but Jonathan agreed to join their relationship and it was a perfect fit. When it was just the three of them, the world was the closest to peace as it would probably ever get. The Demogorgon left its mark on Hawkins, left it’s mark on the lovers, and together, they soothed their pain.

Will Byers found Hawkins eerie once he came back. He had nightmares of the upside down, he dreamed he wasn’t saved, he dreamed it had been too late for him. For his first month back, Will coughed up slugs, but it stopped after a month. When he talked to Hopper around it, he theorized that the Demogorgon had laid eggs inside of Will that became slugs, and now all of the slugs had been coughed up. Sometimes Will would have moments were his mind would wander, more than he used too, but he had begun to get better. From his ceiling, Christmas lights hung over him, silently reminding him that he was home. He had made it back and he was safe now.

Mike Wheeler felt like he lost a part of his soul when Eleven disappeared; disappeared not died, because El wouldn’t do that to him(or so he told himself). He’d only known her for a week, but it felt like years. He had gotten attached to her so quickly and then lost her in an instant. He had nightmares, nightmares of her yelling at him for breaking his promise that’d she’d go home and be safe, nightmares where she’d beg for him to come save her but he couldn’t reach her. His basement became a shrine to her, his first crush. Her blanket fort was set back up and he left his walkie-talkie there every night, because she liked to play with it. He couldn’t eat eggos anymore, pink dresses made him emotional and the school gym made him want to cry. She’d only been in his life for a week, but it was so much more than just one week to him.

Dustin Henderson and Lucas Sinclair took it all the best they could. They confided in each other about their own nightmares and lightly teased each other about it, as best friends do. Lucas shared that he felt guilty for how he treated Eleven and Dustin in return told him that he worried that maybe she was in the upside down, alone and cold. Every day Dustin checked his compass just in case the gate to the upside down came back. His parents didn’t understand why he stared at his compass every morning, but they let it be. Lucas encouraged Dustin’s compulsion to check the compasses, because it made his friend feel safe. They both would tense whenever lights would flicker, fearing that the Demogorgon would appear any second and kill them.

Joyce Byers had gotten her son back, just like she wanted, but she realized quickly after his return, that things would never be the same. She always kissed her sons goodbye and hugged them just a tad longer before letting them leave the house. Christmas lights made her feel both scared and hopeful at the same time now, she would have nightmares that it was too late to save Will when she and Jim Hopper found him. Some days, she wondered what he did to get Hopkins Lab to let them go, and deep in her gut she knew, but saying it out loud was too much to bare.  Her thoughts on danger had changed, her worst fear was no longer a kidnapper taking her son, but the monster returning and destroying all that she held dear.

Joyce discovered that not everything that came from that week had been bad, that week had given her Jim Hopper. Only a few weeks after the death of the Demogorgon, Jim and Joyce had their first date in Joyce’s house. Jim made her dinner while Jonathan and Will hung out at the Wheeler’s house. For the first time since Lonnie, Joyce had a boyfriend, which her sons loved to tease her about. Jim made her happy in ways Lonnie never had, he loved Jonathan and Will as if they were his own, and in return the boys loved him.

Jonathan Byers tries not to think about the strange little girl who risked her life for his brother because every time he does, he wants to cry. He was so happy when he got Will back, it was like having part of his soul back, but then he watched Will’s friends silently mourn a friend who would never return. That girl had killed the Demogorgon and saved them all, but there were too many “what ifs” that came with the thought of her. Nancy told him she worried that Eleven was stuck in the upside down like Barb and Will had been, but only this time no one was coming to save her. Jonathan admitted to Nancy and Steve that he felt guilty because he hadn’t said a word to her when he had the chance. All in all, Jonathan had more now than he ever had before, but his heart still hurt for that little girl and he still had nightmares for his brother, for the monster he faced.

Steve Harrington never met Eleven, but he’d heard enough from his boyfriend and girlfriend to understand that she had been extraordinary. She had killed the monster that he faced that brought him his boyfriend and reconnected him with his girlfriend. He wondered what he’d think of the girl, but for the most part, he didn’t think about her. He still had nightmares about the Demogorgon and once woke up in tears from a nightmare involving him not being able to save Jonathan. For the most part, Steve’s life was better now, but there were aspects of his life now that he didn’t want, like the nightmares.

Every day Jim Hopper puts food in a little box in the woods, hoping that Eleven will come back and find it; that she’ll know it’s from him and that he’s ashamed he gave her up. In his house he had boxes specifically for if Eleven came back. They held dresses, stuffed animals, and letters that he found Mike Wheeler placing in the box in the woods. The only person who knew about the boxes was Joyce, though the food box is common knowledge to anyone who spends a lot of time in the Byers house. Sometimes Jonathan will give Jim a brown lunch bag and tell him it’s for the box. He throws away the old food so the food’s always fresh, because he owes her at least that.

The only good thing that came out of Eleven’s disappearance was that it prompted Hawkins Lab to be abandoned. The scientists picked up their things and ran, they told Hopper they were leaving and then they were gone. It had been four months since the Demogorgon tormented the town of Hawkins, but the story wasn’t over for them yet.

The day had started like any other day for Jim Hopper. He woke up, went to work, and had a boring day. He had no idea that if he looked at a compass, it would tell him that something extraordinary was happening. Inside of Hawkins lab, the gate to the upside down was opening as Eleven was fighting to stay on her feet. It had taken her months of starvation and desperation to figure out how to work the gate, and now it was opening. Seizing the opportunity, she forced her way through the gate and hit the ground hard.

She gasped heavily, relief hitting her like a ton of bricks that she finally had real air again. A smile grew on her dirty face as she got up and saw the lab to be empty. She trudged through the woods in her tattered dress until she found it, the box. From the other side, she watched the box fill up with food that she could never quite reach but now, she could. She collapsed in front of the box, her dirty fingers pried open the box and she began to eat for the first time in months. The sun started to get low, but she didn’t move, she just kept eating.

Hopper parked his car next to the woods and started walking to the box, tuber ware full of eggos in his hand as he neared the box. His jaw fell open and the tuber ware slipped from his fingers, crashing to the forest floor. In front of him lay Eleven, staring up at him wearily, looking scared and worse for wear.

“Eleven…” He breathed.

She stared blankly at him as he crouched to her level.

 “Do you remember me?” He asked.

“Yes.” She whispered. “Chief.”

“Yeah, Chief Hopper, that’s me.” He nodded. “You remember Joyce Byers, Will’s mom?”

The little girl nodded slowly.

“I’m going to take you to her, so she can clean you up and feed you.” Hopper said slowly.

“Mike?” She asked, causing the Chief to blink in confusion.

“Huh?” He questioned.

“Mike. Home.” She looked at him like he was stupid.

“Oh! Uh, I’m going to take you to Joyce first. She’ll clean you up and then you can see Mike.” Hopper told her.

She seemed to accept this and followed him to his car.


	2. Chapter 2

Joyce had just gotten back from her shift at the store when she heard the knock on the door. She opened her door and had the air knocked straight out of her lungs. Standing in front of her was her boyfriend, Jim Hopper, but the more shocking part was the little girl, Eleven. She was still wearing the pink dress Joyce had last seen her in, though it was dirty now and appeared to be sticking to her body from the grime. Her hair was a little bit longer than it was four months ago, now a cute pixie cut in desperate need for a wash; but it was her.

“Eleven.” Joyce breathed. “It’s you.”

“Hello.” Eleven whispered.

Joyce took a step back and ushered Jim and Eleven in. The girl’s eyes danced around the house, taking in her surroundings slowly but surely. The Christmas lights and letters were no longer present, but besides that the house didn’t look much different. Joyce and Jim sat Eleven down on the couch and went to the kitchen.

“Where did you find her?” Joyce whispered, looking around as she did.

“By the box that we’ve been leaving food. God, Joyce, she was so scared when she first saw me.” He inhaled sharply. “She’s been gone for months, I don’t know what she’s witnessed, but I know it was bad. You could just see it on her face.”

Joyce gasped softly, but then shook her head fiercely. “No, I’m gonna calm down and help her take a bath, get her some clean clothes and **then** we will talk to her about where she went and what she saw.”

“Okay.” Jim agreed softly.

Joyce took a deep breath and silently reminded herself that she needed to step up, that this little girl had nobody, nobody in the whole world. Now was not the time to falter, she had to be strong for the sake of that little girl who was sitting in her living room, terrified out of her mind. She stepped out into the living room and smiled at her.

“Hi Eleven.” She said softly. “I bet you’re tired, huh?”

Eleven nodded as Joyce went through all the information in her brain that she knew about Eleven before she remembered Mike Wheeler.

“I bet you wanna see Mike.” Joyce took a hesitant step forward.

Eleven’s whole face brightened and she straightened up. “Mike?”

“Yeah, Mike.” Joyce nodded.

“I want to see Mike.” Eleven said, standing up.

“You can and you will.” Joyce said gently. “But first we need to get you clean and into different clothes. That sound okay?”

Eleven nodded and Joyce led her back to the bathroom that she had stood in all those months ago. As Joyce began to draw the bath Eleven flinched.

“Oh no sweetie, this is a different kind of bath!” Joyce exclaimed quickly. “It’s for getting clean.”

“R-really?” Eleven whispered, looking skeptical.

“Really.” Joyce breathed, grinning at the girl.

Eleven smiled back and Joyce explained that you don’t wear clothes in this kind of bath. That’s were Joyce learned something about Eleven she’d never heard from Will; she learned that Eleven didn’t know the way the world worked.

“Privacy?” Eleven asked.

“You want me to go?” Joyce asked.

“No!” Eleven shouted, her eyes wide and afraid.

“Hey, hey, hey! It’s okay, Eleven. I’m here and I’m gonna take care of you, make sure you’re safe. But privacy means being alone.” Joyce explained.

“No. No to privacy.” Eleven muttered.

Once Joyce deemed the bath warm enough, Eleven undressed and slowly sunk into the tub. She sighed audibly as her muscles relaxed into the warm water. Slowly Joyce helped Eleven get clean and found herself both horrified and slightly amused when the girl asked what shampoo and conditioner were. She cleaned her hair for her, explaining as she went. Joyce gave Eleven a pair of clothes and turned around as the girl changed.

“Done.” Eleven told Joyce.

Joyce turned around and smiled brightly. Eleven was wearing one of Joyce’s t-shirts and some of Will’s sweatpants. The clothes were too big for her breakable frame, but she looked warm and content.

“Let’s get some food in you and talk about what to do next, Eleven.” Joyce said with a smile.

“El.” Eleven corrected softly.

“El… I think that suits you wonderfully.” Joyce beamed.

Joyce had just gotten El to sit down when the door opened and Eleven flinched.

“Holy shit.” The voice of Jonathan Byers breathed.

Standing at the door were Jonathan and Will Byers, just coming home from the Wheeler’s house. Jonathan could see the girl sitting in his kitchen from where he stood and so could Will. But Will didn’t get why Jonathan looked like all the air had been sucked out of his lungs.

“Eleven, is that you?” Jonathan whispered, remembering the girl he’d only met once, who helped save not only Will but the entire town.

“Yes.” Eleven whispered from the table. “Jonathan. Will.”

“Wait, that’s Eleven?” Will gaped as he realized who was sitting at their dinner table and surged forward.

Eleven flinched and Jonathan caught Will by the back of his shirt. “Go to your room, Will. I think Eleven needs some time.”

Will sighed, muttering under his breath about how he never gets to do anything, stomping to his room. Slowly, Jonathan entered the kitchen and Hopper filled him in while Joyce made Eleven a sandwich.

“Go see Mike now? Go home?” Eleven asked as Joyce handed her the sandwich.

“Well that’s just the thing sweetie, we can’t just give you to the Wheeler’s.” Joyce said gently.

Eleven’s bottom lip wobbled. “Home.” She repeated, stressing the word.

“I know you spent that week in Mike Wheeler’s basement and that became your home, but we can find you a home just as good.” Joyce soothed quickly. “And you’ll still be able to see Mike and Dustin and Lucas.”

“Promise?” Eleven asked.

“I promise.” Joyce whispered, gently rubbing Eleven’s shoulder.

“Where’s she going to live?” Jonathan asked as Eleven began to eat her sandwich.

“I could take her.” Hopper said softly.

“Oh Jim, your house isn’t ready for a child.” Joyce sighed, a sad smile on her face. “Plus, she’s a little girl, she needs a woman with her.”

“She could stay with us, Mom.” Jonathan told his mother. “Will and I can share a room. We could adopt her and she could live with us.”

“Oh Jonathan, that’s a lot to ask of you and Will…” Joyce reached up and stroked her son’s cheek soothingly.

“She saved us, all of us.” Jonathan pointed out, swatting away his mother’s hand. “It’s the least we can do.”

“I think it’s a good idea.” The voice of Will came, making everyone jump.

“Will, I told you to go to your room!” Jonathan scolded.

“You know better than to spy on people, it’s rude!” Joyce added.

“I didn’t wanna be left out.” Will said with a sheepish shrug. “Plus, this sounds important.”

“I can’t ask you to give up your room Will.” Joyce told her youngest son.

“You’re not asking, I’m offering.” Will deadpanned. “Mom, she saved my life and the guys all say she’s amazing. She has no family, Mom, she needs us.”

Joyce bit her bottom lip and looked back at Eleven who had been silently following the conversation.

“Eleven, sweet heart, would you like to live with us?” She asked gently.

“Here home?” Eleven asked.

“Yes, would you like to make our house your home? Would you like to become a part of our family?” Joyce repeated.

Eleven thought about it. She’d always wanted a mom, a mom to take her away from the testing and the hurts. In the pool at the school Joyce had held her and shown her love. In the bathtub Joyce had shown her love and kindness again.

“You’d be my… mom?” Eleven asked.

“If you want me to. And Jonathan and Will would be your brothers.” Joyce answered quickly, looking back at her sons with encouraging smiles.

“That sounds… nice.” Eleven said softly, breaking out a tentative smile.

Joyce’s face broke out in a beaming smile, she smiled so hard her face hurt. “Tell you what, it’s too late for you to see Mike now, but you can see him and the other boys tomorrow. How does that sound?”

“Good.” Eleven answered.

Joyce left Hopper with Eleven as she took her boys out in the living room. The first thing she did was hug them tight.

“Thank you.” She whispered.

“We really do want her, Mom.” Will said. “Or, I do.”

“I do too. Will was right, she needs us.” Jonathan agreed.

“That means things are gonna have to change, then.” Joyce said with a nervous chuckle. “I’ll have to buy another mattress and move it into your room, Jonathan.”

“That’s okay. I can get us an employee discount and I can help Will move his stuff into my room.” Jonathan offered.

Jonathan never thought working at a mattress store would be so convenient, but he was glad it was.

“Yeah, and I can help her decorate her room.” Will added.

“God, you really are such amazing boys.” Joyce breathed, tears of pride bubbling in her eyes.

“I can sleep on the couch tonight, she can have my bed until we get a new mattress.” Jonathan said.

“No baby, she’ll sleep in my room and I’ll take the couch.” Joyce told her son, laying a hand on his shoulder.

In the kitchen Hopper felt guilt bubbling in his gut as he watched Eleven finish her sandwich.

“I never should have abandon you.” He whispered.

“You didn’t.” Eleven said, scrunching up her eyebrows in confusion.

“They found you because of me, Eleven. It’s my fault and I’m so so sorry.” Jim confessed, his voice shaking and a single tears fleeing his eye.

Eleven raised a small hand and gently whipped away the tear. “It’s okay.”

“It’s not.” He disagreed, fighting a sob.

“I forgive you.” She told him.

Hopper finally let out a chocked sob and stroked the girl’s short hair as she shot him a small smile. Joyce came back in the kitchen and let them have their moment before asking Eleven if she wanted to go to bed.

“Yes please.” Eleven answered, yawning deeply afterwards.

Joyce led Eleven to her room and Eleven’s eyes landed on the bed longingly.

“This is where you will sleep until I can buy another bed.” Joyce told her and then tucked her in, refusing to leave until the girl was fast asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eleven is reunited with her friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter but fret not. This is the beginning of a series.

Joyce woke with a start to a high pitched scream coming from her room. Her mother instincts kicked in and she sprinted to her room, where Eleven was screaming, kicking and flailing on the bed.

“No!” She shrieked. “No!”

“El, El, sweetie, it’s Joyce! Wake up, it’s a dream.” Joyce shouted, grabbing Eleven by the shoulders, only to be flung away as Eleven woke, gasping for air, near dry heaving.

Jonathan than burst into the room as Joyce picked herself up and Eleven gasped for air, shaking.

“Mom, El, are you okay?” He asked the two women.

“She was having a night terror.” Joyce informed Jonathan.

“They got me.” Eleven whimpered. “They took me and made me hurt you.”

Jonathan and Joyce’s eyes met and Jonathan slowly sat next to Eleven on the bed. “El, I promise you that we will not let them get you.”

“Really?” She whispered.

“You’re my sister now, El, and that makes me your big brother. Big brothers will do anything to take care of their little brothers or sisters.” Jonathan told her. “And my mom is now your mom, and mom’s would do anything for their kids.”

“Your gonna take care of me?” Eleven asked them both as Joyce sat on her other side.

“Of course sweetie.” Joyce cooed.

Surprising them both, Eleven wrapped her arms around Joyce’s neck, hugging her, and then turning and doing the same to Jonathan.

“Try to get some sleep, El.” Jonathan said softly before retreating from the room.

As Joyce went to follow her son, Eleven stopped her.

“Will you stay?” Eleven asked hesitantly. “I don’t want to be alone.”

“Of course.” Joyce said with a smile, and laid down and slept next to her new daughter.

Eleven fell asleep the same time as Joyce, twin smiles playing on their lips. When Joyce woke up again the little girl was curled around her, reminding her of when Jonathan and Will would climb into bed with her when they had nightmares. Slowly Joyce left the bed and went to the kitchen where Jonathan was making breakfast while chatting with Will.

“Good morning.” Joyce said to her boys, smiling at them.

“Hey mom.” They chorused together.

“I’m supposed to go to Mike’s in an hour, is it okay if I bring Eleven?” Will asked.

“Of course, sweet heart. She’d love that.” Joyce reassured her youngest son. “Let me go wake her.”

An hour later Eleven was sitting on the back of Will’s bike as they road to Mike’s house. Eleven was practically buzzing in excitement. Will had spent the last hour getting to know Eleven and he had to admit that he thought she was super nice, even though she didn’t know a lot. He found himself explaining music and Dungeons and Dragons and toasters and everything there was in the house. Jonathan showed her photography and explained it, both brothers had felt a pang in their chest as the realized how truly deprived of life she had been in that lab.

Will pulled up to the Wheeler’s house and helped Eleven off his bike. He noticed her beaming.

“Come on, let’s go see Mike.” Will said.

Eleven smiled so hard that it hurt but she obediently followed Will as he knocked on the basement door.

“Coming!” The voice of Mike shouted from the other side.

Eleven curled her fingers around her sleeves in excitement. She was finally going to get to see Mike again.

“You’re late By-Oh my god!” It was Dustin that opened the door and openly gaped at her. “You’re back!”

Eleven found herself engulfed in Dustin’s arms as he lifted her off the ground. She let out a shriek of surprise but didn’t fling him away.

“Guys, she’s back!” Dustin shouted, pulling Will and Eleven into the basement.

The second Mike’s eyes landed on her, it was a locked target. He watched Lucas greet her, obviously emotional. He watched Lucas apologize and hug Eleven, but once Eleven’s eyes met Mike’s, his heart did a back flip.

“Mike.” She whispered.

“El.” He breathed.

And like that he was embracing her and she was curling around him, her head perched comfortably on his shoulder. He held her tight, crying tears of joy.

“I thought you were dead. Oh my god, I can’t believe it.” Mike chocked.

“She’s gonna be living with my family.” Will told the group. “Mom’s gonna adopt her and everything.”

Mike beamed, his cheeks beginning to hurt from all the smiling, but it didn’t matter because Eleven was back and she wasn’t going anywhere.


End file.
